One of the most famous unsolved cases in American history is that of Elizabeth Short’s murder in early January of 1947. She would later be coined as the Black Dahlia, as her case became a public spectacle, which ultimately yielded no conclusive results as to who the killer is, despite later evidence pointing an enigmatic and high profile doctor, George Hodel. The story has been inspired films like True Confessions and The Black Dahlia, and it now makes its way to the small screen.
The new TNT series, I Am The Night, doesn’t follow the story right as it happened, though. Instead, we go ahead two decades, and follow two characters who have a connection to Hodel and the case. The first is Pat (India Eisley), or as she’ll later be known as, Fauna Hodel. She’s 16, and has lived her entire life in a small town being raised by Jimmy Lee (Golden Brooks), a black woman, and assuming that she is mixed race. The show doesn’t simply use this as a minor detail. It’s very interested in exploring racism of the era, and even how people within the black community can treat people who are multiracial. Even when confronted by a white police officer, she insists she’s colored, resulting in plenty of nasty looks. This thread continues on as we even get a glimpse of the Watts riots in episode five, “Aloha.” A major theme of the show is the struggle to fight for what’s right in the face of oppressive power dynamics, which is reflected by, not only the racial struggle of that era, but also George’s connections to the powerful in Los Angeles. Eisley’s performance is wonderful, and it’s not just because she effortlessly pulls off the complex emotional beats that the story require. She pulls off, in both looks, voice, and physicality, the kind of performance you’d expect from a leading lady of that time.
The other major character is Jay Singletary (Chris Pine). He’s a reporter for the LA Times, but he is haunted by his past in a few ways. He was disgraced when his cover of a trial doesn’t go the way he thought it would. He is also a veteran of the Korean war, and suffers from PTSD, often seeing visions of soldiers and cowering whenever there’s a loud noise. On top of all that, he’s a casual cocaine snorter, so…there’s that. Pine’s performance embodies the character’s rough history extremely well. I’ve always preferred him when he’s unhinged and wild, think Smokin’ Aces, Stretch, even Into The Woods, even though they aren’t necessarily his best films. With I Am The Night, he combines his inner character actor eccentricities with the more stoic, dramatic work that people have loved him for. The dialogue he’s given is also more playful, snappy, which he takes full advantage of.
Despite all the weird and dark murder stuff, the weird and dark PTSD stuff, the weird and dark sex stuff that gets brought up, and all that other nastiness, the show is actually a lot of fun to watch. Five of the six episodes are written by creator, Sam Sheridan, and the other by Monica Beletsky, and the directing team consists of Victoria Mahoney, Carl Franklin, and Patty Jenkins, who also serves as an executive producer. They build on a tone that feels both retro and modern; nostalgic, while also progressive. The 35mm cinematography is gorgeous, making the colors of the city pop, and it’s complemented by an appropriately noir inspired score from David Lang. The episodes are well paced, with each answer to a mystery bringing up more questions for the viewer to ponder.
I was, thankfully, given all six episodes to review, so I can say that it finishes rather strongly. The final episode is incredibly suspenseful and ultimately satisfying, especially in relation to how each character fulfills their arcs. If you’re in the mood for a pulpy, LA-set neo-noir with socio-political underpinnings and subtle nods to old Hollywood, this will most definitely scratch that itch, as it did with me. I’m also glad that the people involved didn’t feel the need to stretch and pad things out. Six episodes was perfect for the way the storytelling flows, giving the show a propulsive energy without losing the quiet character and atmosphere building moments, and with each episode being roughly 49 to 55 minutes long, it doesn’t take too much of your time once it’s all said and done. As pulp television goes, and aficionados of true crime fiction, it’s as thoughtful and entertaining as you can get.
I Am The Night will premiere on TNT on Monday, January 28th at 9 PM.